There are conventional spherical controllers.
There has been room for improvement in the arrangement of components in a spherical controller.
Therefore, the present application discloses a spherical controller in which components are desirably arranged.
(1)
An example of a game controller described herein includes a spherical housing, a joystick, an operation button, a vibrator, and an antenna. The spherical housing includes a first hemispherical portion and a second hemispherical portion. The joystick is positioned at a boundary between the first hemispherical portion and the second hemispherical portion. The operation button has an operation surface at a zenith portion of the first hemispherical portion. The vibrator is inside the second hemispherical portion and configured to generate a vibration to vibrate the spherical housing. The antenna is inside the first hemispherical portion, the antenna configured to transmit, to outside, information regarding an operation on the joystick and information regarding an operation on the operation button.
With configuration (1) above, the joystick and the operation button can be arranged at such positions that it is easy for the user to operate the joystick and the operation button. With configuration (1) above, the game controller can output a vibration from the vibrator. With configuration (1) above, the antenna can be provided at an appropriate position.
(2)
The antenna may be on a side of the joystick with respect to a center of the spherical housing.
(3)
The game controller may further include a first electronic substrate. The first electronic substrate has the antenna and a contact. The contact is configured to detect an operation on an operation surface and the antenna.
(4)
The game controller may further include a processor and a second electronic substrate. The processor is configured to cause the antenna to transmit, to outside, information regarding an operation on the joystick and information regarding an operation on the operation button. The second electronic substrate is an electronic substrate that carries thereon the processor, wherein the second electronic substrate is different from the first electronic substrate.
(5)
The spherical housing may include a first hemispherical housing corresponding to the first hemispherical portion, and a second hemispherical housing corresponding to the second hemispherical portion.
With configuration (5) above, the game controller can allow the user to recognize the orientation of the game controller based on the positional relationship between the two hemispherical housings.
(6)
The spherical housing may further include a spherical zone-shaped housing having a spherical zone shape between the first hemispherical housing and the second hemispherical housing.
With configuration (6) above, the game controller can allow the user to recognize the orientation of the game controller based on the positional relationship between the two hemispherical housings and the spherical zone-shaped housing.
(7)
The spherical zone-shaped housing may be ring-shaped.
(8)
The joystick may be on the spherical zone-shaped housing.
With configuration (8) above, the user can easily recognize appropriate input directions on the joystick based on the positional relationship between the two hemispherical housings and the spherical zone-shaped housing.
(9)
The spherical zone-shaped housing may include an annular portion surrounding a circumference of the joystick.
(10)
The spherical zone-shaped housing may include a first band-shaped portion extending from the annular portion toward a right input direction of the joystick, and a second band-shaped portion extending from the annular portion toward a left input direction of the joystick.
With configuration (10) above, the user can easily recognize appropriate input directions on the joystick based on the positional relationship between the joystick and the band-shaped portion.
(11)
The operation surface may be integral with a surface of the spherical housing.
(12)
A center of gravity of the game controller may be located inside the second hemispherical portion.
With configuration (12) above, when the game controller is placed on a horizontal surface with no external force applied thereto, it is unlikely that the side where the operation button is provided faces down.
(13)
The game controller may further include an inertia sensor. The inertia sensor is at a position inside the spherical housing such that a distance from a center of the spherical housing to the inertia sensor is shorter than a distance from the center to the vibrator.
With configuration (13) above, it is possible to improve the sensing accuracy of the inertia sensor.
(14)
The antenna may transmit, to outside, output information from the inertia sensor.
(15)
The game controller may further include a rechargeable battery inside the spherical housing. The rechargeable battery is at a position such that a distance from a center of the spherical housing to the rechargeable battery is shorter than a distance from the center of spherical housing to the vibrator.
With configuration (15) above, it is possible to safely protect the rechargeable battery.
(16)
The operation button may include a movable portion configured to move in response to the operation surface being depressed. The movable portion may be capable of pivoting about a rotation shaft. The game controller may further include a detection section configured to detect an operation on the operation surface in response to the pivoting of the movable portion.
With configuration (16) above, it is made easier for the detection section to detect a depressing operation, irrespective of the position at which the operation surface is depressed. Thus, it is possible to reduce the possibility that an operation on the operation surface fails to be detected.
(17)
The rotation shaft may be substantially perpendicular to a straight line that connects together a center of the spherical housing and a center of the operation surface of the operation button.
With configuration (17) above, it is possible to reduce the possibility that an operation on the operation surface fails to be detected.
(18)
The antenna is capable of receiving, from outside, a signal for vibrating the vibrator. The vibrator vibrates based on the signal received by the antenna.
With configuration (18) above, the game controller can vibrate based on a signal from outside.
(19)
The vibrator may include a voice coil motor capable of generating a sound as well as vibrating in response to an input signal.
With configuration (19) above, the game controller can output a sound as well as outputting a vibration.
(20)
An indication that indicates a position of the operation surface may be on at least one of the spherical housing and the operation surface.
With configuration (20) above, the user can easily recognize which part of the surface of the spherical housing is the operation surface.
(21)
The game controller may further include a rechargeable battery and a terminal. The rechargeable battery is inside the spherical housing. The terminal is electrically connected to the rechargeable battery and is at a position recessed from a surface of the spherical housing.
With configuration (21) above, since the terminal is at a position recessed from the spherical surface of the spherical housing, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the terminal comes into contact with the surface on which the game controller is placed.
(22)
The vibrator may have a cylindrical outer shape.
With configuration (22) above, it is possible to efficiently use the space inside the spherical housing.
(23)
The game controller may further include a reboot button used to reboot the game controller. An operation surface of the reboot button may be recessed from a surface of the spherical housing.
With configuration (23) above, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the reboot button is operated inadvertently.
Note that disclosed herein is an example of an information processing system including any of the game controllers set forth in (1) to (23) above, and an information processing apparatus capable of communicating with the game controller.
With such game controllers, it is possible to desirably arrange components in a spherical controller.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.